All The More For That
by myeveryday
Summary: Rachel pounded on the door. It wasn't long before Finn opened it. Once he did, she stalked past him into the house before she whipped around and poked his chest. "You didn't tell me that you were Finn Hudson!" Finn looked amused by the situation. "I didn't realize that it was a problem." AU, Finchel-Prompt


**Author's Note: I had such a great response to my first try at a Finchel prompt, I decided to give it another go! I read this prompt and immediately fell in love with it—Both Alike in Dignity (To clear up why Puck's last name is still Puckerman, I'm going to say that Puck was adopted by Hiram and Leroy and then they used a surrogate for Rachel). This is going to have some M-rated smut, so heads up for that. The title for this story is taken from "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it.**

* * *

**i.**

On her first day of high school, Rachel Berry's big brother handed her a black leather jacket.

"Noah, what is this?" Rachel asked as she held it up. Leather jackets really weren't her style at all. She was much more of a knee socks and animal sweater kind of girl.

Noah Puckerman grinned at his little sister. "It's your first day at Carmel, Little Berry. And since you're my little sister that automatically means that you're in with the rest of us. And tell your friends Tina, Quinn, and Mercedes that they're in, too. Mike has a thing for Tina and that Aretha chick is a badass. And Quinn is hot and doesn't take any shit from anyone."

"But Noah, I don't understand—"

"Berry, don't argue. You're my little sister, and I've gotta take care of you. This way, no one will ever mess with you."

With a sigh, Rachel pulled the jacket on.

* * *

**ii.**

It turned out that joining Puck's little gang worked out for her in the end.

Now a junior in high school, Rachel had to admit that she had had a pretty amazing high school experience so far. She had an excellent GPA and was primed to apply and probably get into any college that she wanted. She had joined the glee club at Carmel and was practically the star of the group, not to mention all of the leads she had in the school plays. And no one ever made fun of her or tried to mess with her. Not to mention the group of amazing friends she had.

Now that Puck was a senior, he was pretty much the leader of everything at Carmel High School. There wasn't a party that he wasn't invited to, a girl that didn't want to date him, or a guy that didn't envy his talent. Carmel was definitely a school that staunchly supported its performing arts and theater department. Really, there wasn't a school in the Ohio area that could rival them.

"Hello, Diva," Mercedes greeted as Rachel took a seat at her lunch table.

"Mercedes, Quinn," Rachel said in return. "Where's Tina?"

"Where do you think?" Mercedes said. "Preoccupied with Mike somewhere."

"Speaking of being preoccupied," Quinn said. "Jesse St. James was asking about you again."

Before Rachel could say anything, Puck slid into his seat next to Quinn and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her in greeting before he turned to his little sister. "What did St. Douche say?"

"Nothing," Rachel said quickly. Puck had scared enough of her potential boyfriends off over the years.

Puck glared at her before he said, "Whatever. Listen, we're going to fuck up McKinley's locker room tonight."

"What? Why?" Rachel asked.

"Because they have a big football game tomorrow," Mike answered as he joined them at the table. Tina was right behind him and Artie rolled up to the table on the other side.

"And I feel like breaking something," Puck added. "Besides, that Karofsky jackass tried to mess with Abrams's wheelchair yesterday." He pointed to Rachel and Tina. "The two of you are in charge of getting the toilet paper. The boys and I will handle everything else."

* * *

**iii.**

Rachel never questioned how Puck managed to break into the places they ended up at. Frankly, she didn't want to know. But there they were, in the middle of the night, at McKinley High School's locker room.

They had tossed toilet paper over every available standing object. Puck and Artie were currently using spray paint to draw some very inappropriate pictures on the red lockers. Mike had loaded all of their weights into the back of Puck's truck, and he had also spray painted some very crude pictures onto the backs of their helmets.

"Alright," Puck stated with a satisfied smirk. "I think that does it. For now, anyway."

"Man, I'd love to see their faces when they walk in tomorrow," Artie said. "This might be some of our best work yet."

"I think the pictures on the football helmets were a particularly nice touch," Mike added.

"Can we go now?" Rachel asked. "You interrupted my Barbra movie marathon."

Puck rolled his eyes. "Fine, we're going. You really know how to suck all the fun out of things, don't you?"

Rachel could only roll her eyes in return at her older brother. They quickly made their way out of the locker room and locked it back up. Rachel actually felt kind of bad, but she tried not to let it bother her for very long.

* * *

**iv.**

"Little Berry, you should have seen their faces!" Puck laughed loudly and shook his head. "I thought Karofsky was going to shit himself. And their freaking captain was all, "It's okay, guys. We can't let it distract ourselves. We just have to pull through and show them that they can't affect us." What a load of bull shit!"

"Don't they know that you did it, though?" Rachel asked worriedly. "We're not going to get in trouble, will we?"

"Oh, relax, little sis. They can't prove that we did it. We won't get in trouble." Puck wrapped an arm around Rachel's shoulders and gave her a one-armed hug. "I told you that I would take care of you. You never have to worry about that."

"Noah, I just don't want you to get in trouble," Rachel said. "You're eighteen now. You won't be sent to juvenile dentition if you get caught."

"I won't get caught," Puck said confidently. "I'm too badass for that. Just like you are. Despite the fact that you refuse to have fun with us."

"Noah—"

Puck rolled his eyes. "Relax, Rachel. I was just messing with you. I respect the fact that you have morals or whatever."

* * *

**v.**

Rachel let out an appreciative sigh as she took a sip of her tea. Her dance practice had been particularly brutal that day, and it was nice to take a break. After paying, she turned away from the counter… and promptly slammed into a broad chest.

Her hot tea spilled all down the front of the guy's white shirt. Rachel gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry!"

The guy looked down at his shirt before looking back up at her with smiling amber eyes. He had a sweet half-smile on his face as he took her hand and pulled her off to the side of the small café. Rachel, still feeling completely and utterly humiliated, snatched up several napkins and started patting at his chest.

"I'm so, so sorry," she repeated. "I am so mortified right now. I wasn't paying attention and the tea was so hot and I really hope that it didn't burn you."

He chuckled low and deep and caught her wrists in one of his large hands. He gently took the napkins from her hand and put them back on the table. "It's okay," he said. "Really. No harm, no foul."

"I just feel so bad," Rachel said. She plucked at his damp shirt before she smoothed it out. She looked up (he was so, so tall), she realized that she was close enough to see the smattering of freckles across his cheeks. Then she noticed just how handsome he really was, and her cheeks flamed bright red.

"It's not a big deal," he said. "It didn't even hurt that much, I promise."

"Still. There has to be something that I can do to make it up to you." Rachel did feel very horrible about spilling her tea all over him. Of course, it would be just her luck that she would spill steaming hot tea all over a really attractive guy.

"Well." There was a mischievous sparkle to his amber eyes. "You can let me buy you another tea and sit down with me."

Rachel gave him a look of wide-eyed surprise, but he was smiling at her so warmly and openly that she found herself nodding her head. "Sure."

They walked back over to the counter. "I'm Finn, by the way," he said as he held his hand out.

Rachel slid her hand into his large one and was pleasantly surprised to find that her hand fit perfectly in his. "Rachel," she said in return. She ordered her tea again and Finn ordered a plain coffee. They sat at a table and began to talk.

He was a senior, Rachel found out. He had already been accepted to NYU, and he wanted to become a teacher. He had a stepbrother a year younger than him, and he worked part time in his stepfather's auto shop.

He was sweet and kind and laughed easily. He made her laugh, too, and his large hand covered hers on the table. After an hour and a half, at the end of their coffee date, Finn asked Rachel out to dinner.

She said yes.

* * *

**vi.**

Thankfully, both of her fathers and Puck were thankfully out on the Friday that she and Finn had planned for their date. Rachel was glad, since she didn't want any of them scaring Finn off before she even had a chance to go out with him.

Rachel put on a pretty green sundress and let her hair curl down around her shoulders. Just as she had finished applying some light make up, there was a knock at the door. Rachel opened the door to find Finn standing there in jeans and a light blue button down with that sweet smile on his face.

"Rachel," he breathed when he saw her. "You look beautiful."

Rachel blushed. "Thank you," she said. "You look very handsome, too."

Finn smiled at her as he took her hand. With his other one, he produced a pink carnation. Rachel gasped as she took it from him.

"You seem like the kind of girl who likes pink," Finn explained. "And the flower was pretty and reminded me of you, so…"

"They're my favorite," Rachel said. "Thank you." They walked to Finn's truck and he held the door open for her. She giggled and loved that he was so chivalrous. "So, Finn, tell me. Where did you decide to take me on our date?"

"You'll see," Finn said.

"Aw, come on Finn." Rachel made her eyes go as wide as they possibly could and pouted at him. "Please tell me."

Finn purposefully looked away from her. There was no way that he could look at that face for long without giving in. "If I tell you, it would ruin the surprise. And where's the fun in that?"

Despite Rachel's constant and insistent questions, Finn managed to hold out until they reached their destination. With help from his brother, Finn had set up a picnic under a large tree in a park by his house.

Rachel gasped again when she saw the thick blanket laid out on the grass with the picnic basket on top. There was a vase filled with more pink carnations and several little lanterns lighting the area.

"I figured that this was nicer than Breadsticks," Finn said as he opened the car door for her and helped her out. "I told my mom that you were a vegan, and she made some vegan lasagna for you."

"Finn, this is wonderful," Rachel said. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before."

He squeezed her hand before they settled onto the blanket. "You deserve this, Rach," he said. The nickname slipped easily from his lips. Rachel leaned over to press her lips to his cheek before she settled back. Finn winked at her as he pulled the food from the basket.

As the sun was setting, Finn reached into the basket and pulled out another treat. "Vegan chocolate cake."

Rachel beamed at him as she took a large bite of the cake. "Finn," she said as she smacked her lips. "This is absolutely wonderful."

Finn grinned back at her before he reached out. "Oh, hey. You have some icing right here." His large hand gently cupped her cheek as his thumb brushed the corner of her lips. Their eyes locked, and his thumb continued to brush against her cheek.

Rachel licked her lips. "You know," she whispered. "You can kiss me if you want to."

Finn's other hand came to rest on her hip. "I want to."

He leaned forward and his lips pressed gently against hers. Rachel's eyes fluttered shut and her hands came up to cup his cheeks as their lips slowly moved together. When they broke the kiss, Finn pressed his forehead to Rachel's. His warm breath blew across her face as he stroked her hair behind her ear.

"Rach," he breathed.

"Finn," Rachel whispered. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled his lips back down to hers. This kiss was deeper, with Finn's tongue swiping at her bottom lip, silently asking for permission. Rachel parted her lips and let out a breathy little moan as his tongue danced with hers. This time, only when breath became an issue did they pull apart.

That adorable half smile was back on Finn's face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and Rachel beamed at him again. This moment couldn't be any more perfect.

* * *

**vii.**

"Little Berry, are you paying attention right now?"

Rachel didn't even look up from her cell phone. "Uh-huh."

"Who are you texting?" Quinn asked. She tried to peer over Rachel's shoulder to see the phone screen, but Rachel turned it away. Despite her best efforts, the petite brunette flushed. Quinn let out a squeal. "Oh my God! Are you texting a _guy_?"

"Of course not!" Rachel said quickly. Of course, that was a total lie. She had been texting Finn since Puck had dragged her out of her room an hour ago. She scrambled for a believable excuse. "I'm texting someone from the show. They were asking questions about the costumes."

Quinn didn't look like she believed her, but she didn't get a chance to ask since Puck waved his hand for them all to be quiet. "Whatever, who cares. Here they come now!"

Puck had demanded that she, Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina go with the rest of them so that they could see the McKinley High football team. The three girls had begged off of seeing the team's reaction after they had vandalized the locker room. Puck just wanted to make sure that they all knew who they were.

"There are those assholes Karofsky and Azimio," Puck said as he pointed to each guy. "And that's Matt Rutherford and Sam Evans. And right there is their captain, Finn Hudson."

Rachel's head jerked up at the mention of that name. She looked up just as Finn did, and their eyes connected. Her mouth dropped open in complete shock, but Finn… For some reason, he didn't look nearly surprised as she did.

* * *

**viii.**

Rachel pounded on the door. It wasn't long before Finn opened it. Once he did, she stalked past him into the house before she whipped around and poked his chest.

"You didn't tell me that you were _Finn Hudson_!"

Finn looked amused by the situation. "I didn't realize that it was a problem."

"Of course it's a problem! You didn't tell me that you go to McKinley High School!"

"I didn't think that that was a big deal, either."

"It _is_ a big deal!" Rachel kind of felt like she was about to cry, but she steeled her emotions. "I go to Carmel High School, Finn! My older brother is Noah Puckerman! He hates you!"

Finn took a step closer to her. He was smirking and his eyes were twinkling with amusement. "But do _you_ hate me?"

"I can't believe you, Finn Hudson!" Rachel spluttered. "That is totally not the point!"

Finn took another step. "Then explain it to me, Rachel."

"We can't be together! Our friends all hate each other! We spend our time pranking and tormenting each other! What are we supposed to—"

Before she could get the rest of her sentence out, Finn reached out, hauled her against him, and covered her mouth with his.

Rachel couldn't even find it in herself to struggle against him. She didn't want to. She liked it too much—she wanted him too much. She completely melted against him, her arms around his neck as her lips opened under his.

When they broke apart, Finn cupped her cheeks and brushed his thumbs under her eyes, wiping away the tears that Rachel hadn't known she had shed. He gave her a soft smile before he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Hey," he mumbled. "What's with the tears? Everything is going to be okay."

"But how can you be sure?" Rachel looked up at Finn, taking comfort in the quiet assurance in his amber eyes. "You can't just promise me things like that, Finn."

"Yes I can," Finn said firmly. "I can promise you that because I know it's true." He hugged her tightly against him and stroked his fingers through her long, soft hair. "Rachel, I really like you. And I hope that I'm really hoping that you like me, too." He put two fingers underneath her chin and tilted her face up towards his. "Do you?"

Rachel nodded her head. Finn could see right through her. She fisted his shirt in her small hands. "I do like you, Finn. I really do. But… I'm just afraid of what everyone will say. I don't want our relationship to be ruined by what other people say."

Finn shrugged his shoulders. "Then we won't tell anyone," he said. "At least for now. We can do whatever you want, Rachel. All I know is that I just want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too, Finn." Rachel stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again as relief flooded through her. "So, so much."

* * *

**ix.**

"Rachel, you need to go on a date."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Tina, I really think that I just want to focus on school for now. After all, junior year is the most important year when applying for college."

Tina, Quinn, and Mercedes all exchanged looks. "Please," Mercedes finally said. "We all know that you're going to get into NYADA. Hell, they'll probably accept you before you even audition!"

"We're just saying that you need to let loose and have a little bit of fun," Quinn said.

Rachel opened her mouth to protest, but she quickly realized that she probably shouldn't. If she didn't let her friends think that she was at least entertaining the idea, they would know that something was up. It had only been two weeks since she and Finn had decided to keep their relationship a secret, and her friends could already sense the changes.

Finn just made her so happy. Tina, Mercedes, and Quinn had definitely picked up on it. Even Puck had commented on it, saying that she was "singing a hell of a lot louder" than she usually did. Rachel had to be much more careful and constantly had to keep herself from singing "My Man" over and over.

"Who did you have in mind?" she asked tiredly.

"We were thinking Jesse St. James," Quinn said hurriedly.

"He's been your male lead a few times over the years," Tina added. "So we know that you could get along with him."

Rachel sighed. She really wanted nothing to do with Jesse St. James, honestly. He had always critiqued her performances when they had been in the school plays and musicals together. She was just glad that she was sharing the stage with Sebastian Smythe this year in the school's production of _Beauty and the Beast_.

"I appreciate the effort, but I think I'd rather not get involved with anyone right now," Rachel said. "I just want to concentrate on the show."

All three girls sighed in unison. "Fine," Quinn relented. "But we're going to get you to go on a date before the year is over."

Rachel bit her lip and nodded her head. At least she had gotten them to back off… for now.

* * *

**x.**

"Your brother threw eggs at my car."

Finn groaned. "Kurt, you promised that you would be nice to her."

Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "I am being nice to her. I'm just simply stating what her brother did to my newly detailed car."

Rachel winced and gave the fashionably dressed boy in front of her an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry," she said. Before she had a chance to finish her apology, Finn was coming to her defense once again.

"She probably wasn't even there," he said. "So cut her some slack. She's not like those other guys."

Rachel put a hand on Finn's arm before sliding it up to his shoulder. She rubbed at the tense muscle and gave him a smile. "Finn," she soothed. "It's okay."

He visibly relaxed under her touch and smiled at her in return. Kurt watched the exchange with interest before he finally sighed. Adjusting his scarf, he declared, "Well, you make Finn happy. And if you make him happy, than I guess I'm okay with you dating him… even if you are Puckerman's little sister."

Finn groaned again, but Rachel smiled warmly at Kurt. "I'm sure that we'll be great friends," she said. "Finn told me that you love Broadway. So do I! I'm sure that we'll have so much to talk about."

Kurt's eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite place in New York City. "You love Broadway?"

"I plan on going to NYADA to study theater," Rachel explained. "I'm currently cast as Belle in my school's production of _Beauty and the Beast_."

Kurt grabbed Rachel's hand. His entire demeanor had changed. "Oh my gosh, we have so much to discuss. You and I are going to go to New York together and we're going to take Broadway over."

Finn groaned yet again, but this time for an entirely different reason. He had a feeling that he was going to have to share Rachel with his brother from now on.

* * *

**xi.**

Rachel reached over and put her phone on silent. She crawled back towards Finn on the couch and cuddled herself into his side. He wrapped an arm around her and ran his free hand through her hair. His fingers stroked down her cheek.

"Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay?"

Rachel bit her lip, but she nodded her head. "I'm fine."

"Liar." Finn pressed his lips to her temple. "Talk to me, baby. Tell me what's wrong."

Rachel smiled at the pet name, but it slipped off her face when she saw her phone light up again. She draped her arm across his middle and pressed her nose into his t-shirt, inhaling his comforting scent.

"I just wish that I didn't have to lie to my friends," she muttered.

Finn tilted her face up towards his. "We can tell them if you want to. I'll be right there with you, Rach. Whatever you want, I'll support it."

"But I just… I can't let them get angry at us. They just wouldn't understand how I feel about you." Rachel got on to her knees and put both her hands on either side of his face. She pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. She wasn't very surprised to feel Finn's lips on hers. It was a tender, lingering kiss that left her breathless.

"Rachel, promise me that you'll talk to me whenever you feel like this," Finn said. "I'm ready to tell everyone whenever you are. I'll stand on top of the bleachers and shout it out, if you want me to."

"Oh, Finn." Rachel kissed him again. "I promise that I'll let you know."

* * *

**xii.**

"So are you really thinking about going out with Jesse St. Douchebag?"

Rachel cracked a smile at her older brother. "Not really," she admitted. "I can't say that I care too much for him."

Puck let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. That guy's an asshole. Do you want me to get Quinn to back off for you?"

Rachel shook her head. "She's having fun right now. Just let her be."

"If you say so." He sat next to her and took her hand. "Look, Rachel. I just want you to be happy. Pick the guy that makes you happy, you know? Not the guy that everyone thinks you should be with."

Rachel's heart gave a pang at her brother's words. Unfortunately, she didn't think that Puck would be too fond of who made her happy. It sucked, because she had a feeling that Finn and Puck would actually be very good friends if they gave it a shot.

But, like always, Rachel chose to keep her mouth shut. She and Finn were only a month into their relationship. While all of the sneaking around was sometimes exhausting, Rachel had to admit that it was also exhilarating.

"Thanks, Puck," she said. She smiled at him. "That's really sweet."

Puck smiled at her in return before he made a face. "Don't be getting all mushy on me, Little Berry. You know I don't like that shit."

* * *

**xiii.**

"Hey!" Finn grinned as he caught sight of Rachel as he came out of the locker room. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I got out of dance practice early and thought I'd come surprise you. My brother and my dads are out, so I figured we could watch a movie… or something."

"Or something," Finn agreed with a smirk. He gently backed her up against her car and trapped both of her wrists in one of his large hands. His lips came down over hers, tongue slipping into her mouth. His other hand squeezed her hip lightly, his thumb snaking under her shirt to rub small circles on her stomach.

Their little impromptu make out session was rudely interrupted when someone yelled, "Hey, Hudson! Who do you have your face stuck to?"

Finn broke the kiss and let out a sigh before he turned. Rachel tried not to freak out when she realized that it was Karofsky and Azimio approaching them. She grabbed onto Finn's hand, and he squeezed hers reassuringly.

"Well isn't she a pretty little thing?" Azimio leered. "Where'd you find this one, Hudson?"

Finn stepped in front of Rachel, putting himself between her and the two other boys. Rachel kept a hold on Finn's hand and peered around him. "Back off, Azimio," he said firmly.

The two boys smirked at one another before Karofsky asked, "Does Santana know about her?"

Rachel's brow furrowed as Finn stiffened. He didn't say anything, but Rachel could see the way his jaw tightened. She put her other hand on his back, trying to release some of the tension she found there.

Then Karofsky's eyes fell to Rachel. She refused to shrink back under his gaze. Instead, she stepped out from behind Finn and lifted her chin, daring him to say something.

"You look kind of familiar," he said. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

The last thing she needed was Karofsky running around, saying that he had seen Noah Puckerman's little sister making out with Finn Hudson. "I don't believe so," she said in a strong voice.

"Huh." Karofsky still looked thoughtful, but Azimio thankfully provided a distraction.

"Come on man, let's go. I'm hungry. "See you around, Hudson." With one last leer at Rachel, he added, "I hope you have fun."

Once they left, Finn pulled Rachel into his arms and pressed his face into her neck. She gripped his shirt tightly as she relaxed in his arms. He pressed a few kisses to the column of her throat before he pulled back to look down at her.

"I'm sorry about that," he said.

Rachel shook her head and kissed Finn's cheek. "It's okay."

He smiled down at her. "You handled yourself well, though. I was very impressed with your acting abilities."

"I'm glad, considering that it's my choice of profession. I'd hate to be bad at it."

Finn bent and kissed her softly. "You're going to be a star, Rachel. I just know it."

* * *

**xiv.**

"You were amazing in rehearsal today."

Rachel turned to find Jesse standing behind her. Though she was surprised by his compliment (he didn't hand them out very easily), she didn't show it. "Thank you," Rachel said.

"I don't think Sebastian really has what it takes to play opposite your Belle, though," Jesse said as he leaned against the wall.

"Oh really?" Rachel said blandly. She actually thought that Sebastian played his part very well. But she wanted this conversation to be over as fast as it possibly could.

"Of course." Jesse nodded his head and flipped his curly hair back. "I think I was sorely miscast in this musical. Though, I'm sure that I'll revolutionize the part of Lumiere. But I'd be willing to help you run your lines as your Beast."

Rachel didn't answer Jesse as she zipped her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She planned on just leaving the auditorium. She was already late for her study session with Tina, Quinn, and Mercedes, and they were sure to badger her with questions about what had taken her so long.

"We should go out to dinner sometimes," Jesse said as he stepped in front of Rachel, blocking her way out. "What do you say?"

"I'm actually okay with Sebastian playing the Beast," Rachel stated. "And I'm busy and can't go out to dinner. Ever. Sorry."

Without another word, she brushed past Jesse and left the auditorium.

* * *

**xv.**

"Finn! Oh God, _Finn_."

Rachel gasped as Finn's lips closed around her nipple. Her fingers locked in his hair as she pressed closer to him, arching up into his mouth. His large, warm hand closed around her other breast, gently plucking at her nipple.

They had talked about this before. Rachel wasn't exactly ready to go all the way, and she knew that Finn was much more experienced than she was. And that really made her nervous sometimes. But Finn never pushed her, and his reactions to her always pleased and exhilarated her.

Rachel knew that she wanted her first time to be with Finn. It was more about waiting for her to be ready to take that step. But that didn't mean that she didn't want to do other things. Finn's touch often set off a fire in her that only he could put out.

The ache between her thighs was becoming too much. Rachel spread her legs, allowing Finn's thigh to drop between them. She began to rock her hips against his hard thigh, searching for some sort of relief as his hardness pressed into her stomach.

Finn groaned and his tongue swirled around her nipple. Rachel tugged his head back enough so that she could look down into his dark eyes. "Finn, please," she panted. "Please, I need you to…"

Finn knew exactly what she wanted. He kissed her gently as his hands slid up her thighs, under her skirt. His fingers brushed between her legs over her panties and Rachel gasped against his lips. He pushed her panties aside, his fingers sliding between her slick folds. He slid one finger into her and Rachel's hips arched into his hand. After a few pumps of his finger, he slid a second one in just as his thumb pressed down on her clit. Rachel cried out and Finn kissed her again, his tongue plunging into her mouth.

Through her haze, Rachel slid her hand into Finn's boxers and stroked up and down his length. He groaned into her mouth and bucked his hips into her hand as his fingers pumped faster into her. She brushed her thumb over the tip of his head, and Finn came just as she did.

"Rach," Finn whispered as he fell to his side on the bed. He pulled Rachel against him, pressing a kiss to her sweaty forehead.

"Thank you, Finn," Rachel said. "That was perfect."

"You're perfect," Finn said in return.

* * *

**xvi.**

Rachel could feel Quinn's eyes on her. She turned to face her best friend and put her hands on her hips. "What?"

Quinn narrowed her eyes at her. "You look like you've gotten laid," she stated bluntly.

Rachel's cheeks heated up, but she did her best not to turn away. "Quinn, I think you know that that's not true. I haven't engaged in sexual intercourse with anyone."

Besides, it wasn't like she was lying. She hadn't had sex with anyone.

But… the other stuff.

Rachel's could feel herself getting flustered just at the thought of Finn's hands on her body, and she did her best to push those thoughts away. Quinn tried to level her with a pointed look.

"I know that look," Quinn said. "That's the look I get whenever Puck—"

"Ah!" Rachel held her hands up. "Please don't. There are just some things that I don't need to know about my brother."

Quinn sighed. "Rachel, things have been… different with you lately. You seem really happy sometimes, and then there are other times when you're just really sad. You would tell me if there was something wrong, right?"

"Of course I would, Quinn," Rachel said. She felt horrible, because the only thing that was wrong was that she had to hide her relationship with the boy she was falling in love with from her closest friends. And she had grown close with Kurt and his boyfriend, Blaine. She found herself lying to her friends just so that she could hang out with the new ones she had made at McKinley, and it made her feel awful. She reached over and hugged the blonde tightly. "You're my best friend."

"Right. And you know that you can tell me anything, don't you? I know that you're worried that I might tell Puck, but I would never break the best friend code. I would never betray your trust just because I was going out with your brother."

Rachel sighed. "I know you wouldn't, Quinn." But she couldn't put her best friend in that position. She didn't want to be the reason that Quinn lied to Puck. She loved them both too much to be the cause of that. So she kept her secret.

* * *

**xvii.**

Rachel took a bite of her ice cream before she said, "Finn, who is Santana?"

The thought had been on her mind ever since Karofsky had mentioned her the night he had seen her and Finn together. She tried to let it go, because it wasn't really any of her business, but she was just too curious.

Finn put his spoon down and rubbed the back of his neck. "She's my ex-girlfriend," he finally said.

"Oh?" Rachel tried to keep her voice as level as she possibly could. She had no reason to be worried about this Santana person. Finn had made it clear on more than one occasion that he wanted her and only her.

Finn nodded his head. "She's the head cheerleader. We dated last year because… well, I guess it was because it just seemed like the thing to do. We dated on and off throughout senior year." He shrugged his shoulders. "She mostly just used me for sex, I think. And she was really mean, so I just eventually ended it."

Rachel nodded her head slowly. "Okay," she finally said. "Okay."

"Hey." Finn reached for her hand and held it between both of his own. "You know that you have nothing to worry about, right?"

"I know. It' just… Finn, I'm not exactly head cheerleader material. I'm the theater girl. What quarterback dates the theater geek from the rival high school?"

"This one does," Finn said. "You have to stop thinking like that, Rach. I don't care what anyone in this town has to say. So what if I'm the quarterback of the reigning championship football team? That doesn't mean anything to me. I just happen to be good at playing football. So when people do find out that we're dating, they can just shove it up their asses."

"Finn! Language!" Rachel reprimanded. Despite her scolding, she started to smile. She stood up and leaned over the table so she could press a sweet kiss to Finn's lips. His hand came up to cup her cheek. Suddenly, a familiar voice caused her to pull back.

"_Rachel Barbra Berry!_"

Rachel winced and turned to find Mercedes standing in front of the table. The look of complete and utter shock on her face would have been almost comical if the situation hadn't been so dire. Rachel waved at her friends.

"Hey, Mercedes. I guess this would be a good time to introduce you to my boyfriend, Finn Hudson."

* * *

**xviii.**

"Girl, you sure are a fool."

"Mercedes, would you stop? You don't understand."

This is exactly what she had been afraid of. Mercedes hadn't really taken well to the revelation that Rachel had been secretly dating Finn Hudson for almost three months now. She asked if she knew what she was doing, if she was sure that Finn wasn't just messing with her. Rachel was appalled by the very thought, because Finn would _never_ do something like that.

Mercedes's next words surprised her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I think I do understand, Rachel."

Rachel blinked in shock at her friend. "What?"

Mercedes finally smiled. "I think you love him."

Rachel had realized that a long time ago. She really did love Finn Hudson. "I do."

"I think he loves you, too."

"You do?" She didn't want to get her hopes up, just in case, but… sometimes, she could feel how Finn felt about her. It was in the way he held her, or the way he kissed her, or the way he tenderly stroked back her hair. It was in his voice when he quietly sang a song to her, even though he was convinced that he wasn't that good.

"Yes, little diva. I really do. I saw the way he was looking at you. That boy is head over heels for you."

Rachel couldn't help the squeal that escaped her. Mercedes laughed as the petite brunette clapped her hands together, but she quickly sobered. She reached out and put a hand on Rachel's shoulder, forcing her to look at her.

"Rachel, you know that you can't keep this a secret forever, right? You're going to have to tell everyone sooner or later."

Rachel pressed her lips together before she finally nodded her head. "I know," she finally said. "But is it so wrong for me to want to have this time with Finn? A time when no one will judge us for being together?"

Mercedes watched her for a long moment. Finally, she shook her head. "No, I guess not. I just… be careful, Rachel. I won't tell anyone until you're ready, I promise. But I'd really hate for someone to get hurt because of this."

Rachel hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you."

* * *

**xix.**

Mercedes pulled her coat tighter around her body and yanked her hood over her head. "You're lucky that I love you, Rachel Berry."

Rachel smiled sweetly at her friend. "I really appreciate you doing this for me, Mercedes."

"Yeah, well I just think we're lucky that your brother didn't have anything planned for tonight." As if to make sure, Mercedes looked around. She still wouldn't put it past Puck to pull some type of prank. "And we're lucky that no one really recognizes us."

They were huddled up in the bleachers at one of Finn's football games. He really was an amazing leader. Confident, strong, and fair. And those football pants really did look fantastic on him.

At half time, Finn had turned and made eye contact with her. He discreetly pressed his fingers to his lip and then pressed them over his heart. Rachel did as well, and then he winked at her before joining the game again. Mercedes had grumbled about how sappy they were, but Rachel knew that she thought it was sweet, too.

It was after the game was over that Rachel saw a Latina in a red and white cheerleading uniform saunter up to Finn and drag her hand down the front of his chest. Rachel's eyes narrowed as she watched the exchange. Finn's face was hard as he pushed past her. He caught Rachel's eye again and winked. Rachel relaxed and blew him a little kiss (and she may have laughed at the look of astonishment on Santana's face after Finn rejected her).

Mercedes had left, but Rachel waited for Finn to come out of the locker room. She jumped into his arms and kissed him as he laughed. "You were great, Finn!" she exclaimed. "I don't know a lot about football, but I'm willing to be that you're one of the best players out there."

"Maybe not the best," Finn said sheepishly. "Thanks for coming today, Rach."

"I like coming to your games," Rachel said as she fingered the red M on his letterman jacket. "I just wish…"

"What?"

"Nothing. It's silly."

Finn tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him. "Rachel, you promised me that you would talk to me. Please tell me what's wrong."

Rachel bit her lip before she admitted, "I wish I could openly support you. I just want to show everyone that you're mine."

The words slipped out of her mouth without her thinking about it. She only realized what she said when Finn suddenly laughed. He tightened his arms around her and gave her an amused look. "Rachel Berry, are you trying to tell me that you're jealous?"

Rachel poked his chest. "Don't you dare make fun of me, Finn Hudson."

That sweet half smile was one his face, and his eyes twinkled. "I wouldn't dream of it." He stepped back from her and shed his letterman jacket before he draped it over her shoulders. "There. I want you to have that. That way, everyone can know that you're my girl, Rachel Berry."

Rachel surged up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss. When they broke apart, she breathed, "I love you."

Finn grinned down at her and lifted her up into his arms, spinning her around. "I love you too, Rachel Berry. So much."

* * *

**xx.**

Rachel jumped in surprise when something was slammed down in front of her. She looked up from her chemistry homework to find Puck standing in front of her. Looking at the object he slammed down, she saw that it was Finn's letterman jacket.

"Rachel," he said darkly. "What the fuck is this?"

Rachel was desperately trying to scramble for a lie. She was normally so careful about where she put Finn's jacket. Puck was supposed to be gone for the entire day, so she had thought that it was okay to leave his jacket on her bed.

"Well?" Puck demanded when Rachel didn't respond. "Do you want to explain to me why I found Hudson's jacket in your room?"

Rachel blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I stole it!"

Puck looked completely taken aback. "You _what_?"

Well, there was no backing away from this now. She might as well just go with it. "I stole it," she repeated. "From the locker room while they were at practice."

A slow smile spread across Puck's face. "Yeah? Why?"

Rachel shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I wanted a chance to pull a prank, too. You didn't give me that leather jacket for nothing, Puck."

"Little Berry, you are such a badass!" Puck exclaimed. He hugged his little sister before he snatched up the jacket. "Go get dressed. I'm going to call everyone."

That feeling of anxiety was back, but Rachel slowly stood up and went to her room. She put on a short black skirt and a white t-shirt. She pulled her leather jacket on and put on some boots and let her hair hang around her shoulders. Fifteen minutes later, she and Puck met up with Quinn, Mercedes, Tina, Mike, and Artie at McKinley's football field.

"My little sister is such a badass that she didn't have a problem swiping Hudson's letterman jacket. To commemorate this event, I decided to do this." Puck threw the jacket down on the fifty yard line and then opened his lighter. He dropped it on the jacket and it immediately went up in flames. Everyone except for Rachel and Mercedes cheered loudly.

Puck hugged Rachel again. "Way to go, Little Berry."

Rachel cried all the way back to her car.

* * *

**xxi.**

She begged out of going out to eat with everyone, and Mercedes covered for her. Instead, Rachel headed straight to Finn's house. The only car in the driveway was his as she pulled up and turned her car off. She ran up to the door and knocked until Finn opened.

He was only wearing a pair of pajama pants, rubbing at his eyes tiredly with one hand. "Rach, baby?" he mumbled around a yawn. And then he took in her ensemble. His eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. "Rachel," he repeated.

The tears started streaming down her face again. "Finn, I'm so sorry!" she cried.

Finn rubbed at his eyes and shook his head a little before he took her hand and pulled her into the house. He shut the front door behind her and took her up into his arm, gently sitting her down on the bed.

"What's wrong, Rachel?" he asked calmly as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Rachel sniffled. "Puck found your letterman jacket in my room," she confessed. "I didn't know what to say, so I told him I stole it. He took us all to the football field and he… Finn, he set your jacket on fire!" Rachel buried her face in her hands. She felt absolutely horrible. "I am so, so sorry."

She didn't hear anything for a long moment. Then she felt Finn's strong fingers wrap around her wrists. He gently tugged her hands away from her face, and she was surprised to see that he was smiling. He kissed her hands and whispered, "Rachel, I love you."

"But Finn, your jacket…"

He shook his head. "Rach, I don't care about the jacket. It's sweet that you came to tell me about it, but I just care that you're okay."

Rachel traced her fingers over his cheeks before she surged up, pressing her lips to his. Finn laid her out on the bed as his hands smoothed down her sides, over her leather jacket. He pressed a kiss to her neck before he muttered, "Rach, you look so sexy."

Rachel blushed a little, but she smoothed her hands down his bare chest before sliding them around to his back. She tucked her fingers into the waistband of his pajamas. "You too," she whispered. And he really was.

They slowly peeled each other's clothes off until there was nothing between them, and they knew that this time was different. Finn's teeth gently tugged on her nipple as his fingers pressed between her legs. She arched against him, moaning his name and tugging at his hair before pulling him back up to her mouth.

She found a condom on his nightstand and handed it to him. Finn looked down at her and kissed her tenderly before pulling back, the question clear in his eyes. Rachel nodded her head and he put the condom on and linked their fingers together.

He kissed her as he pressed into her for the first time. He kissed away the tear that rolled down her cheek, held her hand and told her how much he loved her until she was ready. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he slowly began to move inside of her.

It wasn't long before the pleasure overrode the pain, and Rachel arched up, moving her hips against his. Finn groaned her name as she cried out. His lips pressed open-mouthed kisses to her neck, sucking on her pulse point, marking her as his. Her hands clutched at his shoulders as his hand snaked between them, pressing against her nub. With another loud cry, she fell apart, panting his name. Finn followed soon after, groaning her name into her neck.

He pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her nose. She trailed her fingers over his chest, stopping over his heart. "So perfect," she muttered.

"I love you, Rachel." Finn traced his fingers over her back and started humming quietly.

"Finn?" Rachel suddenly said. She just really wanted to tell him, because he deserved to know.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Um… we were the ones who vandalized your locker room five months ago."

Finn chuckled deep in his chest. "I know, Rachel. Don't worry, I still love you."

He dissolved into laughter as Rachel exclaimed, "Finn!" But her protests quickly died when Finn rolled her under him and pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

**xxii.**

"Oh my God! Finn, what happened?"

Finn tried to push Kurt away when he approached with another ice pack. Kurt just slapped his brother's hand and then pressed it to his black eye. He smiled at Rachel reassuringly. "Nothing, Rach. You should see the other guy."

But Kurt ratted him out. "Karofsky punched him," he revealed.

Rachel gasped and took Kurt's place on the couch, pulling the ice pack back so she could see the bruise. "Why?"

Finn shook his head, but Kurt spoke up again. "He found out that you were Puckerman's little sister. Santana told him. I guess she saw you at one of Finn's football games and just sort of connected the dots."

"Rachel don't worry about it," Finn said before she could open her mouth. "It's going to be okay."

"Finn." Rachel gave her boyfriend an incredulous look. "Karofsky punched you. How is this okay?"

"If Santana and Karofsky know, then I can guarantee you that it won't be long before the rest of the school knows. And then you can pretty much bet that it will spread to Carmel quickly," Kurt pointed out.

"Kurt." Finn glared darkly at his brother. "Not helping."

"Right." Kurt quickly hugged Rachel. "But I'm sure that everything is going to be okay."

Before Rachel could say anything else, her phone started ringing. Her panic came back full force when she saw that it was Puck calling. She hit the ignore button and turned back to Finn, who pulled her into his arms. Kurt rubbed her back reassuringly as he called Blaine to let him know what was going on.

Rachel's phone buzzed again—this time, the call was from Quinn. Rachel ignored that one, too, and the next calls that came from Artie, Tina, and Mike. And she ignored two more calls and several text messages from Puck. She couldn't even bring herself to read them.

Finally, Mercedes's name flashed across the screen. That call, she answered. "Please tell me that they don't know," she pleaded when she picked up. "Please."  
Mercedes sighed. "I'm sorry, Rachel. They know. Everybody knows."

* * *

**xxiii.**

"Finn, I really don't think that this is a good idea."

Finn waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. I can handle myself."

"But Karofsky just punched you, and—"

"And I punched him back. And trust me when I say that he's worse off than I am. Not that I would do that to your brother, though. And it's probably time that I finally meet your dads."

"Finn, how can you be so calm about this?" Rachel demanded.

"I can because I love you," Finn stated. He bent and, with both hands on her cheeks, kissed her tenderly. "And what more do I need?"

"HEY!"

Puck's angry voice broke them apart. He was closely followed by Quinn, Tina, Mike, Artie, and Mercedes. Rachel stood up straight and held Finn's hand tightly in her own. This was it. She was not going to feel bad about loving Finn.

"Hudson, what the hell are you doing to my baby sister?"

"Noah, please don't—"

"Be quiet," Puck snapped. "I'll deal with you later."

"Hey," Finn said in an even voice. "Don't talk to her like that. She didn't do anything wrong."

"No. I'm going to be generous and assume that you seduced my baby sister and that she didn't actually chose to go out with you. Because she wouldn't do that to her friends and family," Puck spat.

"Stop making it sound like I betrayed you!" Rachel exclaimed. "I didn't!"

"Oh, excuse me, Rachel. It's bad enough that you're dating Hudson. But to find out that my baby sister is keeping secrets from me from fucking Karofsky? That's unforgivable, Rachel."

"Puck," Quinn called out soothingly. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know if her best friend was angry with her, but she was at least sticking up for her.

"Stay out of this, Quinn," Puck barked. He whipped back towards Finn. "You're going to stop dating her right now."

"Noah!" Rachel gasped, but both boys ignored her.

Finn shook his head. "No I'm not."

Puck shook a threatening finger in Finn's face. "You are. Because if you don't, I'm going to do much worse than set your letterman jacket on fire."

"I won't break up with Rachel." Finn lifted his chin, tall and confident as he spoke. "I love her."

Puck's fist suddenly swung towards Finn's face. Rachel let out a scream of shock. But before anyone could react, Finn had Puck's arm locked behind his back. Puck struggled, but Finn wouldn't let him go.

"I'm not going to hurt you because you're Rachel's brother and she loves you," Finn said calmly. "But all bets are off if you say anything to upset her."

After another moment, Finn let Puck go. He walked towards Rachel and cupped her face, kissing her gently. "I love you," he whispered.

Rachel clutched at his hands. "I love you, too, Finn."

He smiled and kissed her again before he got into his truck and left. After a long moment, Rachel turned towards her brother. He was glaring at her, but Rachel stepped towards him anyway.

"Noah," she began, reaching out. "I'm so sorry—"

But Puck pushed her hand away and left.

* * *

**xxiv.**

"So. Finn Hudson."

Rachel looked upon all her friends. They had done nothing but stick up for her and support her for as long as she could remember, and she felt awful for lying to them. She bit her lip and nodded her head.

"Does he make you happy?" Quinn asked.

"He really does," Rachel answered. "He makes me so, so happy."

Quinn's face finally relaxed into a smile. "Okay," she said. "You still have some serious groveling to do for lying to us. And I want to properly meet him. But if you're happy, then we're happy."

Rachel let out a watery laugh and hugged Quinn. Tina hugged her on her other side and said, "We just wish that you felt like you didn't have to lie to us. Though we understand why you did, given the way Puck reacted tonight."

"Finn handled himself well," Artie said thoughtfully. "And we've never had a problem with him, really. We just picked on him because he was the captain of McKinley's football team. Sort of like their unofficial leader, you know?"

Rachel nodded her head and smiled at Artie. "Finn really is a good guy," she told him.

Mike put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about Puck. He'll come around eventually. I think it was just a shock, that's all."

Rachel honestly didn't know if that was true or not. But she really hoped that Mike was right.

* * *

**xxv.**

The entire room was silent.

Finally, Mercedes spoke: "Oh hell no."

And that was really all anyone could say. There really no words to describe how they felt as they took in the scene in their choir room.

Toilet paper was everywhere. It was nearly to Rachel's knees, there was so much of it. Red and white streamers were strung around the room—a not so subtle sign of just who had vandalized their choir room. The worst part was the fact that all of their instruments were completely destroyed. Even the grand piano was torn to shreds.

Rachel finally shook herself out of her stupor long enough to pull her phone out. She quickly dialed Finn's number and waited as the phone rang. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she refused to believe that Finn had anything to do with this. He wasn't like that. He loved her.

"Hey, baby!" Finn greeted cheerfully. "Are we still on for coffee after school?"

"Finn," Rachel said quietly.

He immediately picked up on how heartbroken she sounded. "Rach, baby. What's wrong?"

"Someone… someone completely destroyed our choir room. Everything. It's just… ruined." She swallowed hard, fighting against her tears before she said, "There are red and white streamers everywhere."

Finn cursed loudly and profusely. She could hear something slam on the other end of the line. "Don't worry, Rachel," he said. "I'll find out who did this and I'll fix it, I promise. I love you so much."

Despite the scene in front of her, relief spread through Rachel. "I love you, Finn."

When she hung up, she turned to find Puck standing in the doorway of the choir room. He gaze was hard as he took in all the damage. Finally, he looked up at Rachel.

"What is he doing about this?" Puck demanded.

It was the first time he had talked to her since he had found out about her dating Finn a week ago. "Finn is going to find out who did this."

Puck nodded his head curtly. "Good. Let's go."

"Where?" But Rachel shouldn't have really had to ask. Mike and Artie already had their leather jackets on, and Quinn, Tina, and Mercedes were pulling their own out. Quinn tossed Rachel's to her and she caught it. Puck nodded his head again, encouraging her to put it on. It wasn't a declaration of forgiveness, but Rachel would take it.

"We're going to McKinley."

* * *

**xxvi.**

By the time they got there, Finn was already yelling at Karofsky, Santana, and Azimio. Sam and Matt were holding him back, and Kurt and Blaine were trying to calm him down. But it didn't help that Azimio and Karofsky were blatantly laughing in Finn's face.

Puck stalked up to Karofsky and shoved his chest. "You little fucker," he seethed. "You will regret ever stepping foot in our choir room."

"Whatever, man," Karofsky said. "Like you haven't done the same thing. We were just finally returning the favor."

"We stopped listening to Hudson the douchebag over there," Azimio said as he jerked his thumb in Finn's direction.

"I'm going to tear you apart!" Finn yelled as Sam and Matt scrambled to keep ahold of him.

Both Azimio and Karofsky ignored him. Santana just laughed and shook her head. Rachel turned to glare at her, knowing that she was somehow the mastermind of this plot.

"Just look at it this way, Puckerman," Karofsky said. "If you're little slut of a sister hadn't gone for Hudson, we wouldn't have had to do anything—"

Karofsky never got to finish his sentence. With a roar, Finn broke free of Sam and Matt's hold and tackled him to the ground. Puck took down Azimio before he had a chance to help Karofsky. Santana watched the scene unfold before she looked down at her nails.

"Watch Hudson's pretty face, boys," she said. "I have plans for that face."

Rachel stalked right up to Santana and slapped her hard across the face.

With a shriek, Santana launched herself at Rachel. She managed to get a hit in, but Rachel landed a punch to her stomach before she was yanked back. She recognized Finn's hold and saw that Sam, Matt, Mike, and Puck had Azimio and Karofsky subdued. Mercedes, Tina, and Quinn were now taking care of Santana.

Finn hugged her tightly to him. "I'm so sorry that happened," he whispered into her hair.

Rachel reached up and cupped his face. "Thank you for defending my honor," she said with a giggle. She immediately felt better in his arms. "That was very chivalrous of you."

"I try." His thumb smoothed under her left eye, and Rachel could feel how it was swelling. "I gotta say, it was pretty hot when you hit Santana. You're pretty badass, Rachel Berry." He tugged on her sleeve as his eyes got dark. "Especially in that leather jacket."

Rachel giggled again, but then she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned to find Puck standing behind her. He looked tired, and his lip was split, but he held his arms out. With a squeal, Rachel flew into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I can't stay mad at you for too long, little sis," Puck said. "It makes me feel like I've kicked a puppy, or something. And besides, Quinn was threatening to cut me off if I didn't make up with you, so…"

Rachel accepted Puck's very skewed apology, but she knew he really meant it. He patted her on the head. "You're my little sister, Rachel. I told you that I would take care of you. And if that means letting you date Hudson because he makes you happy… then I'll do it."

He looked up at Finn then. Puck let go of Rachel and nudged her towards him. "You better take good care of her, Hudson. I'll come after you if you don't."

Finn pressed his lips to Rachel's forehead and held her close. She fisted his shirt in her hands and pressed her face into his chest, grinning broadly.

"I swear that I will do everything in my power to make her happy," Finn promised.

* * *

**xxvii.**

Finn won prom king.

Rachel stood in her pretty gold dress with Kurt and Blaine as Finn went up onto the stage to claim his crown. Even Mercedes was there (she was Sam's date). She honestly wasn't surprised that Finn had won prom king. Even though he was dating the star of McKinley's rival, everyone still liked him and respected him.

Unsurprisingly, Santana won prom queen. Rachel groaned and rolled her eyes. She wasn't exactly in the mood to watch Finn and Santana share a dance, but it didn't really matter. Finn would always be going home with her, no matter what.

But to Rachel's complete surprise, Finn left Santana standing in the middle of the dance floor and walked over to Rachel. He held his hand out and winked at her, jerking his head towards the dance floor.

"Dance with me?" he said.

With a beaming grin, Rachel placed her hand in Finn's and they went onto the dance floor together. Finn wasn't that great of a dancer, but Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and he twined his around her waist and they just kind of swayed.

Near the end of the song, Finn took his crown off and placed it on Rachel's head. He pressed a deep kiss to her lips before he whispered, "You'll always be my queen."

* * *

**xxviii.**

"It was a good night."

Rachel grinned at her husband as he wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder. "Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed. "It was a _great_ night!"

"You're right." Finn kissed her cheek. "It is pretty great when you win a Tony. I told you that you were the best Maria that Broadway has ever seen."

Rachel turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Kurt told me that you cried during my performance."

Finn's cheeks pinked a little. "I might have," he admitted. His hands smoothed down around to her stomach, resting on the bump that grew every day.

"The baby kicked the entire time I was singing," Rachel said. Her hands covered Finn's on her stomach.

"Of course," Finn said. He stooped to press a kiss to her stomach before he stood up back. "He loves his Momma's voice. Just like I do."

"Hmm." Rachel shimmied a little in his arms. "Keep talking like that, and you might get lucky, Mr. Hudson."

Just before Finn's lips came down over hers, he whispered, "That sounds perfect, Mrs. Hudson."

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this! Don't hate me for making Santana the villain. I love her, but I figured I should switch out Puck and Quinn as the bad guys. Next time, they're all just going to be friends, or something. Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!**


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